On August 19, 2026, the Supreme Court of Pakistan mandated that Imran Khan, a former prime minister and cricket captain, be moved from Adiala Jail to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad. Following a petition by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf citing Khan’s deteriorating health, a three-member bench led by Justice Shahid Waheed gave the directive. Early on August 21, 2026, Khan arrived at the private hospital under tight protection.
In order for a multidisciplinary medical board to evaluate and treat Khan’s condition, the bench directed the government to arrange for his transfer to Shifa International Hospital. A five-person medical board comprising Khan’s personal physician, Dr. Faisal Sultan, and his sister, Dr. Uzma Khan, was also mandated by the court to supervise his treatment. The remaining board members’ names are still pending confirmation.
Since August 2023, Khan, 73, has been detained at Adiala Jail on charges of corruption, which he disputes. In February 2026, his legal team and party started to formally raise health issues, claiming that he had just 15% vision in his right eye due to an undiagnosed disease. He had visited the state-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad multiple times for quick consultations on that eye ailment prior to this transfer.
In an open letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in 2026, fourteen former captains of international cricket, including Greg Chappell, Sunil Gavaskar, and Kapil Dev, expressed worry over Khan’s health and demanded that he be treated with dignity.
What was established for Imran Khan medical care by the Supreme Court’s order?
The Supreme Court panel ordered that Imran Khan care at Shifa International Hospital be supervised by a five-person medical board that included Sultan and Uzma. The length of the hospital stay was not specified by the court, and neither the hospital nor the court have confirmed a schedule.
Al Jazeera covered the transfer and verified that the court had ordered the government to make it easier for Imran Khan to relocate to the private institution so the board could evaluate him. Beyond the two specified members, the precise makeup of the board is still unknown, and the precise medical conditions mentioned in the Supreme Court order—aside from the eye condition—have not been made public.
How is the government’s legal challenge progressing right now?
On August 20, 2026, the Pakistani government filed a review appeal challenging the transfer order issued by the Supreme Court. According to the government, Imran Khan should be evaluated at a public hospital as opposed to a private one.
The Supreme Court registrar’s office returned the petition due to incomplete documents. At the time of publication, it was unclear whether the government had submitted an updated petition following that denial. Khan arrived at Shifa International Hospital under security cover in the early hours of August 21, 2026, as the transfer went according to plan. No further date for the procedural hearing has been made public.
